


i'm so tired (of being afraid)

by fifiandco



Series: SBI Cafe oneshots [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Angst, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Dissociation, Tommy is tired, and stressed, i think, im bad at tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29831763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fifiandco/pseuds/fifiandco
Summary: Tommy is tired. His family cares.
Relationships: Technoblade & Phil Watson, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit (Mentioned), TommyInnit & Phil Watson, TommyInnit & Technoblade, Tommyinnit & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: SBI Cafe oneshots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193072
Comments: 1
Kudos: 116





	i'm so tired (of being afraid)

**Author's Note:**

> Haha as usual this was written at 1am and is almost unedited! Sorry for bad grammar, bad spelling and other possible mistakes.
> 
> Have fun with it, I enjoyed writing it, have a good day.
> 
> Possible CW? There are mentions of feeling unreal, headaches, zoning out a lot, etc.
> 
> Rated Teen and Up for swearing.  
> Title is from Six by Sleeping At Last

Tommy was exhausted. The tiredness from school, and streaming, and just _everything_ seeped into his bones and sat there. He sighed. It was his counter shift at Bloom today, and he _really_ didn't want to. He'd have to crank up his energy to full wattage for his friends, brothers, and customers, and he was just too tired. Surely he was allowed to just be tired sometimes?  
  
_No_ , he reminded himself. _No, he wasn't_. The others needed him to be the comic relief, needed him to be jokey and light and energetic. He couldn't be tired with the customers, Bloom had a reputation for its excellent customer service.  
  
He trudged his way to the cafe, letting his feet drag, and tried to focus on something other than the way his eyes hurt when he moved them, or the way his thoughts trundled along far slower than usual, or how his limbs felt too heavy. He tried to focus on how the sun and the breeze felt on his skin, tried to focus on the fact that he would see his brothers soon, tried to focus on looking forward to the soft, comforting atmosphere of Bloom instead of the work that came with it.  
  
He reached Bloom. He hesitated. He turned the doorknob and entered in the back, the staff entrance. He dumped his bags, sighing in relief at the loss of weight that had been bothering him all day. And he braced himself.  
  
Wilbur stuck his head 'round the door to the backroom, customer service smile still carefully intact. "Tommy!" he greeted, already untying his apron, "Good to see you, man. Here-" he threw his apron at the boy, and fixed his hair, rambling on about customers and how busy it was and how Niki had been working all morning on a fresh batch of cakes, and Techno being late, and all of his words were running together and mixing up in Tommy's tired mind. "-Tommy?" He snapped back to attention. "Huh?" Wilbur rolled his eyes. "Time to start work, child. Tubbo said he might come in later for homework, and Phil or _maybe_ Tech will pick up your shift in an hour-ish, Phil said he wants you to rest a bit today. Okay?" Tommy nodded, relief coursing through him at the knowledge that today might not be as long and as tiring as he was dreading. Wilbur grinned, and left.  
  
Tommy took a deep breath. He'll be ok.  
  
Tommy was not doing very okay. His exhaustion had really set in after only about ten minutes at the counter, and already he was ready to collapse on the ground and sleep for 70 hours. But nope, of course he couldn't. Of course he had to keep energetic and responsive and shit for another fifty bloody minutes. He took a breath to steady himself. _He could do this_ , he told himself firmly. He _could_.  
  
He couldn't. For the last twenty minutes, he'd been constantly telling himself to push through, try, he could Do This. But he felt like shit. The world felt fake in the way that it shifted around him, in the way it felt as he moved around. His mind struggled with focusing, either settling on something for a few seconds before flicking to the next thing or making him completely zone at for like ten minutes, just staring at the wall. Each movement was automatic, done distantly and from pure muscle memory. He felt mechanical, unreal, and, most of all, absolutely exhausted.  
  
Tommy was completely aware that his customer service was terrible, and that everyone was noticing that he wasn't up to usual standards, and he was hating every second of that awareness. Each time he messed a name up or almost fell asleep just blinking, a painful guilt settled into the back of his mind, telling him or terrible he was being, how he wasn't good enough, how he couldn't even handle an hour shift at kind of his favourite place. The longer he spent working the harder it was to stay awake, and the harder it was to not cry.  
  
And then, Phil. When Tommy saw him walk in, he almost cracked right there, while taking someone's order. And then _Techno_ walked in, and then he was just surprised. Techno had already done his shift today. He was so exhausted, upset, and confused that he barely registered Techno guiding him out from behind the counter, taking his place, and shooting a half-smile over to Phil, who was gently taking him into the backroom.  
  
Phil sat him down in a chair and knelt in front of him, matching his height. When Phil held Tommy's gaze with his compassionate, gentle eyes, Tommy was _this_ close to just leaning forward and letting himself cry. He didn't. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't do this. What 'this' was he wasn't even sure anymore. Exist?  
  
Phil laid a gentle hand on his forearm. Tommy flinched, hard, and looked at Phil with wide, almost unseeing eyes. Phil sighed to himself, clearly upset at his son looking so worn out. When he spoke, he kept his voice low and soft, like speaking to a spooked animal.  
  
“Tommy,” he said, “I’m ending your shift early, mate. You need to rest.” Tommy tilted his head in confusion. “Who’s going to cover my shift, then?” he asked. Phil felt his heart ache at his son’s voice. It was too soft, and laced with exhaustion. He sounded only sort of half-there. "Techno's covering your shift," he said. Tommy made an involuntarily soft, sort of distressed sound, and Phil frowned in concern. Tommy flushed with embarrassment immediately but still asked his question. “Is he sure?” Phil gave him a small smile. “Of course. I promise.” Tommy gave a tiny, tired nod. "Now," said Phil, "let's get you home, Toms."

**Author's Note:**

> I love projecting onto characters.
> 
> Fun fact this was originally a Wilbur oneshot but I needed some simpled, uncomplicated Tommy hurt/comfort, so yeah.


End file.
